It’s never easy starting a business from scratch. There are 2,344,543 things that have to be considered before you even begin the process. Unfortunately, the #1 problem with starting your own business is always money.
The very notion of having to invest thousands of dollars into a business idea that you may not be confident in is downright terrifying.
And let’s face it, most of us don’t have that kind of money to begin with. So we’ve come up with 6 business ideas with low investment that you can start right away. A lot of these ideas don’t require much more than a little knowledge and sweat equity.
Top 6 Business Ideas with Low Investment
1. Freelancing
Graphic designer, writer, accountant, bookkeeping, data entry, web development, web design, these are only a few possibilities when it comes to freelancing. A freelancer’s greatest weapon is knowledge, and how well he does whatever he’s knowledgeable about. There are dozens of services that cater to freelancers looking for work.
Some great sites to try are upwork.com, peopleperhour.com, and freelancer.com. They have jobs for almost every kind of freelancer. The best part about this idea is that it only requires knowledge and if you get good enough you can build a free website and promote your services on your own.
Tip! Need ideas for your freelance business? Check out Fiverr, that’s pretty much a site dedicated to cheap freelance work.
2. Marketing Consultant
The world will always need doctors, lawyers, and marketing consultants! The term consultant has gotten a bad rep in the past, especially an internet marketing consultant, but you can be the exception to the rule.
A consultant is again someone with knowledge and experience that can benefit his or her’s client’s business.
A business owner is consistently trying to increase his marketing efforts so that the business can thrive even in a sluggish economic environment. That’s why there will always be a need for modern marketing consultants. SEO (search engine optimization), social media, mobile marketing, email marketing, etc.
If you specialize in any of these areas you can start building your clientele right away with small businesses.
3. A Different Spin on Music Producer/ DJ
This fits perfectly into our business ideas with low investment. And to be honest, it’s one that has a special place in my heart. It does involve knowing something about music and creating tracks, but if you’re good you can go far.
The idea is to use your music producing skills for YouTubers or film directors that need music for their videos. The problem a lot of video creators have is that royalty-free music is very limited and very expensive. It sucks for an upcoming YouTuber to have to use the same track for every video.
That’s where you come in.
If you know how to play an instrument and you can put a track together, you’re in business. And learning to put a track together is incredibly easy to do, especially with tools like Garageband.
4. Home baking/cooking business
Are you a culinary genius? Do you get a crazy number of compliments every time you bring that pan of Macadamia nut chocolate-dipped cookies to a party? Well, guess what? You have everything you need to get started on your very own baking/cooking business.
If you love cooking, this low-cost startup is the best of both worlds. You get to be a chef and you’re your own boss. To make this business work you need to know exactly how much it costs to make the signature dishes that you’ll be selling to your clients. Then charge at least double or triple the price of the ingredients.
More if the dishes are labor and time-intensive.
This is a business that will require you to work a lot of hours in the kitchen. To make it easier you can set up a website for people to see your menu and give them the option to place purchases or requests on the site. Also, make sure your happy clients tell people they know about you. Word of mouth advertising is the best kind.
5. Photographer/ Artist
This a great addition to our list of business ideas with low-cost investment because all you need is a decent camera and a bit of talent.
One of my best friends is a fantastic artist.
He has the capacity to earn a considerable amount of money just by doing what he loves. The same is true of a photographer.
Take a few free shots of models or actors who need headshots, maybe do a wedding or two, and share your work with potential customers. Take your time creating a portfolio that’s impressive and people won’t be able to resist your service. Some ideas to promote your skills are using platforms like deviantart.com as well as social media platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
6. Personal Trainer
There’s more to being a personal trainer than telling a client what exercise to do and how many times to do them. The best personal trainers are an actual apart of their clients’ life, sometimes on a daily basis.
Most of the time you’ll be developing meal plans and exercise programs that fit their goals.
You may have to cook the meals they eat throughout the day and check up on them to make sure they’re on track to meet their fitness goals.
It also means being a people person.
You have to understand people and work around certain personality traits that may not be beneficial to their success.
It takes work, but it’s rewarding, and if you love fitness and people than this low-cost business opportunity is perfect for you.
These are great opportunities to start making an extra income or to replace your 9 to 5 forever.
All it takes is a little work and consistently. Comment below if you know any more business ideas with low investment and let us know how successful you are with them.